Off to the North: The countdown is on for preparations for the first in a whole series of ARCHITECT@WORK events in Germany that will brighten up this trade fair season.
Around 180 exhibitors are putting the final touches on their presentations for the Hamburg edition of ARCHITECT@WORK, which returns every two years – and for the fourth time – to the “harbour” of this vibrant metropolis. Even ahead of time, it’s clear that no effort is being spared to surprise, inspire, and amaze visitors to this trade fair, which continues its proven success concept. And one thing is guaranteed: once again, the event will be refreshingly engaging and informative.
Highlights include the “selected by world-architects.com” project exhibition, the thematic exhibition by revalu – Europe’s leading material data and collaboration platform for developing resilient buildings through smart material choices – and a special show by Studio Offbeat, featuring striking photo montages illustrating how art and architecture together can reshape our perception of the built environment. Also on the agenda: a top-tier lecture series offering insights to listen to, reflect on, and discuss.
For 2025, the overarching theme is “Transformation” – a concept that ties together not only the exhibitions, including (for the sixth time!) the captivating Project Wall by world-architects.com with 44 contributions from around the globe, but also forms the core of the lecture programme. These examples show the many ways existing buildings, urban areas, and parks can be reimagined for new uses and changing demands.
Kicking off the talks is Jonas Janke from b+. His presentation, “From Past Impact to Future Value”, showcases both completed and ongoing projects, as well as the network of actors and identities shaping their architectural approach.
Transformation here means more than just design — it’s about political activism, education, research, and prototyping. His thesis: “Every building is not just a built object, but a built argument.” Next, Martin Haas from haascookzemmerich Studio2050 takes the stage with “Low Tech – High Nature”, exploring how architecture can be radically simplified, focusing on long-term usability and sustainable materials – local, renewable, and reusable – that retain their energetic value even in reuse. His goal: climate-responsive, resource neutral buildings that avoid grey energy from the start. This talk is held in collaboration with the DGNB. The first day’s lecture series concludes with Henrike Wehberg-Krafft and Christina von Reth of WES LandschaftsArchitektur. Their talk, “Form follows cycle and aesthetics: Transformation for an aesthetic building transition”, tackles the big question: “We’re supposed to build beauty and save the planet – sounds simple, but it’s not!” Balancing aesthetics, limited resources, and tradition, they advocate for innovation without compromise. “The challenge is big – but our mission is bigger!”
Jule Leu and Peter Andres of Andres + Partner Lighting Design will open the lecture series on the second day of the event with “Varying Degrees of Light Space.” They’ll illustrate how light becomes a defining design force, using two very different projects: delivering perfect lighting for Europe’s largest control center, and the atmospheric transformation of a listed fire station into a kindergarten — both united by the highest standards in lighting and spatial design.
Next, Susanne Brorson of Studio Susanne Brorson takes the stage with “Island Ecologies,” sharing how her Rügen based office embraces a situational and systematic approach, integrating experimentation across teaching, research, and practice.
Rounding off the day is Rüdiger Ebel of blrm Architekt*innen with “Patina” – a reflection on how age and wear shape our perception of architecture. “Patina reveals how a society deals with transience. In architecture, it’s not just about aging – it shows that a place or building has been valued, cared for, repaired, reused, or transformed,” he explains. All lectures are officially recognized under §5 (1) sentence 1 of the continuing education regulations of the Hamburg Chamber of Architects.
With these highlights, the fourth Hamburg edition of ARCHITECT@WORK promises to be an autumn standout once again. But it won’t be the only one: the journey continues in Stuttgart on November 12–13, 2025, and wraps up the successful 2025 trade fair year in Düsseldorf on December 3–4.